#BookReview: Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson @JoshilynJackson @WmMorrowBooks #stephlvsbooks #NeverHaveIEver

Book Title and Author: Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson
Publication Date and Publisher: July 30, 2019 by William Morrow
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 352 pagesBuy on Amazon.com
Date Read: July 22, 2019 (paper copy from the publisher)
Goodreads

5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this game, even winning can be deadly…

Amy Whey is proud of her ordinary life and the simple pleasures that come with it—teaching diving lessons, baking cookies for new neighbors, helping her best friend, Charlotte, run their local book club. Her greatest joy is her family: her devoted professor husband, her spirited fifteen-year-old stepdaughter, her adorable infant son. And, of course, the steadfast and supportive Charlotte. But Amy’s sweet, uncomplicated life begins to unravel when the mysterious and alluring Angelica Roux arrives on her doorstep one book club night.

Sultry and magnetic, Roux beguiles the group with her feral charm. She keeps the wine flowing and lures them into a game of spilling secrets. Everyone thinks it’s naughty, harmless fun. Only Amy knows better. Something wicked has come her way—a she-devil in a pricey red sports car who seems to know the terrible truth about who she is and what she once did.

When they’re alone, Roux tells her that if she doesn’t give her what she asks for, what she deserves, she’s going to make Amy pay for her sins. One way or another.

To protect herself and her family and save the life she’s built, Amy must beat the devil at her own clever game, matching wits with Roux in an escalating war of hidden pasts and unearthed secrets. Amy knows the consequences if she can’t beat Roux. What terrifies her is everything she could lose if she wins.

A diabolically entertaining tale of betrayal, deception, temptation, and love filled with dark twists leavened by Joshilyn Jackson’s trademark humor, Never Have I Ever explores what happens when the transgressions of our past come back with a vengeance.

My Thoughts:

No book club I’ve ever attended has ever been as wild or as dangerous as the one new neighbor, Angelica Roux shows up to unannounced and uninvited one night!

Just call me Roux as in “Roo” is a beautiful stranger to the other suburban moms in the neighborhood who usually just chat about the book over a couple of glasses of wine but she wastes no time taking over, getting the ladies drinking way too much, and not talking about the book at all, and getting them to play games like Never Have I Ever, grown-up style.

There are some crazy secrets being revealed by these book club mommies, but no one has a darker, more terrible secret than Amy Whey. And she’s 100% positive that Roux is playing the game to get her to reveal her deepest secret. But how could she know Amy’s secret? The terrible thing that almost destroyed Amy’s life happened when she was a teenager, and she’s changed since then, so much so that people don’t recognize her or her name. Yet, Roux obviously knows something. What does she know? And what will she do about it?

One thing Amy knows is she’s worked too hard to save herself with her husband, step-daughter, and new baby to risk her secrets coming out, so she’ll do what she can to outmaneuver Roux in this game of cat and mouse. Both of these women are master adversaries, so this is an absolutely heart-pounding, twisted tale. I could not even predict what was going to happen at all as Never Have I Ever is full of dramatic reveals and Jackson keeps you guessing with plenty of bombshell surprises!

My first book by Jackson was a gripping, compulsive read that I loved! Highly recommended if you love tension-filled, clever psychological thrillers.

**Thank you, William Morrow, for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.**

Thanks, Berit! I’ve listened to a book Jackson has narrated before (not one of her own-I would have to go look which one) but she did a wonderful job. I’m super picky about audio books, and I would definitely listen to her again. She used to be an actress if I’m not mistaken. I hope you enjoy it! ❤

That’s what I she mentioned in the author’s notes. I need to read her other books, which I guess I thought all this time were thrillers. I’m sure I’ll enjoy them too though. Enjoy, Susan when you get a chance to read it.

I’ve not read anything else by her; I own Almost Sisters and need to read it! She says in her author’s notes this is her 1st thriller and she was a bit worried to make the leap, but glad she did. I think she did an excellent job- it’s better than some thrillers I’ve read by authors who have written exclusively in the genre.